Automatic switching system for toy railroads



July 19, 1932. J. J. GEIGER 1,868,354

AUTOMATIC SWITCHING SYSTEM FOR TOY RAILROADS Filed Aug. 11, 1931 2Sheets-Sheet 1 25 a i H n /n I I f H n H X I l I I l I I I ll I l l I III l J a I] 2Q 3r 3 Q Q a I n I I TI TI I I 1 In I I n I INVENTOR 7 1 5.WITNESSES 5 QZYJ/Zn CJIjGIflEI a g 35 k a. 5 I M ATTORNEYS July 19,1932. j GE|GER 1,868,354

AUTOMATIC SWITCHING SYSTEM FOR TOY RAILROADS Filed Aug. 11, 1931 2Sheets-Sheet 2 WITNESSES ENTOR ATTORN EYS Patented July 19, 1932 PATENTOFFICE I .kTOI-IN.GEIGER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AUTOMATIC SWITCHING SYSTEM FOR TOY RAILROADS Application filed August11, 1931.

This invention relates to Switching systems for "toy railways andparticularly to .an automatic switching system wherein when the partsare properly set, a toy train may be '5 switched automatically from oneseries of tracks to the other as long .aspower is sup plied.

An object of the invention is to provide a simplified construction forelectrically operated toy trains 'wherein'two .orinore tracks may beused and the'trains automatically switched from one track to the otherso that 'eachtrain will successively pass over the vari- 'ous tracksystems. 1

Another object of the invention is to pro- 'vide in an automaticswitching system a switch ada'ptedto be actuated-by the engine of thetrain for turning'on and off current to the switch operatingmechanism,the same being associated with insulated rail sections forproviding current to the switch mechanism for automatically resettingthe vsame.

; ."In the accompanying drawings,

Figure .1 is a top planview ofa toy railroadidisclosing a structureembodying most ofthe invention.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective View showing the front part of anelectric engine and part ofthe track'together with a switch andoperating bar carried by the engine.

7 Figure '3 is a vertical horizontal sectional viewthrough theswitch'shown in Figure 2, the same being on an enlarged scale. A

'Figure 1 is an enlarged top plan view of ":35. one of the insulatedsections shown in Figure 1, the same being shown in connection with apower take-off contact structure.

Figure 5 is a plan view of one of the switches andlassociatedparts shownin Figure 1, the housing of the switohoperating mechanism being shown insection for better illustrating the arrangement of conductors. Referringto the accompanyingdrawings bynumerals, 1 indicates a three rail trackfor toy railroads, the samebeingof a well known kind, as forinstance theLionel'tracks as now commonly placed on the market. These tracks consistof suitable metallic ties 2, rails I: .3 and 4 for receiving'the wheelsof the engine andcars of the train placed on thetrack and Serial No.556,449.

connected to the tie 3 but not insulated therefrom. Rail 5'is connectedwith the respective ties 2 but is insulated therefrom so as to act as athird rail to supply power tothe engine 5 through well known mechanismnow in common use. This mechanism usually consists of a contact shoewhich is electrically connected with the motor of the engine 6 and whichhas one side connected with the wheels of the engine, said wheelsresting on the rails 3 and i. The structure just described is old andwell known and forms no part of the present invention except incombination. 1 Associated with the tracks 1 are switches 7 and 8, saidswitches being of identical structure so that a description of onewill'apply to both. As these switches are old and well known structuresas now found on the mar- 7 ket, it is thought a detailed descriptionthereof is not necessary. The particular switch shown in theaccompanying drawings is the ordinary Lionel. switch which is operatedby a pair of solenoids 9 and 10 as shown in Figure 5, said solenoidshaving a core 11 connected by a rod 12 and by certain suitableconnecting members with the plate 13. Plate 13 carries the rail sections14 and 15 and also a central rail 16 which is insulated from plate 13.Plate 13 is pivotally mounted at 17 so that when the switch is set asshown in Figure 5, the train will take the side track, but if the switchis moved to the right as shown in Figure 5, the train will take thestraight track. When the solenoid 10 is energized the switch is movedfrom the position shown in Figure 5 until rail 15 contacts with the rail3. When solenoid 9 is energized the parts will function to swing theswitch mechanism to the position shownin Figure 5. All the structurejust described is old and well known except the detailed wires 18 and19. It will be noted that these wires are connected to one end of thewindings of the respective solenoids 10 and 11 and also connected to therail 16. It will therefore be noted that one terminal of each of thesolenoids is grounded on the power rail while the other terminals 20 and21 are connected to the wires or other conductors 22 and 23. Conductor22 is con- 9 current is supplied and is turned on to the desired kind,but as shown, .consists of an insulating plate 28 carrying spurs 29which press against the rail 5 and a swinging clamp- 30 adapted to pressagainstthe rail 3. The clamp 30 is pivotally mounted on a metallic plate31 which carries a terminal 32 to which 7 a wire 33 is secured. Thecontact 24 is identical with thecontact 24 and will, therefore, need nodetailed description. Wire 33 is connected to the terminal 34 of thetrain operated switch 35 while the wire 36 is connected with theterminal 37 of switch 35 andalso to the terminal 23 while the wire 37 isconnected to the terminal 22" and to the contact 24".

Wire 23 is connected to a "contact 24 It will be understood that thecontacts 24' and 24. are connected tothe insulated railv sec- =tions 25.and 25 in a similar way to; the

i is provided with aswinging arm 38 which is connection shown in Figure4. The switch as shown particularly in Figures2 and 3 adapted. to strikean abutment 39 .formedfof insulating material and bolted or'otherwisemechanism of switch '35 fromone position to rigidly "secured .to engine16. Also, the. abutment could be made from metal andin'sulated from theengine, the function of the abut.- ment being to strikethe rod 38 andswing the the, otherf. The s witch'35 is a well known structure now onthe market and is commonly known as-a pull switch. This form of switchwhen pulled or moved in one direction closes the circuit and when givena second pull opens the circuit. As this is an old and well knownswitch, the details thereof will not be de'scribed,-b'ut it will beunderstood that when the'engine 6 passes the switch for the first time,the circuit will be closed between the wires 33 and 36. When the enginepasses a. second time in the same direction, the circuit between thewires 33 and 36 will beopen. If the trainshould move me reversedirection" past switch 35, .the switch will not 'be shifted but willremain in its original setting. In'operation, the engineer a train ofcars ncluding an engineis supplied with current when the parts areproperly functioned, cur.- rent'being supplied from any suitable sourcethrough suitable wires 40 and 4-1. When the engine 6, the engine willbegin to move, it being understood that most of the track. 1 and theengine 6 are old and well known structures, for instance, the ordinaryLionel structure now incommon use on the market.

of arrow 42.

Assuming that engine (die at point A in Figure 1 when the current isturned on, the engine would begin to move in the direction As soon asthe wheels begin to strike the section 25 current will flow from rail 4through the wheels and body of the engine to rail 25", wire 37, wire 20,as shown in' Figure 5, the windings of the solenoid 10, and, finally,through wire 18 to rail 16. This will cause the switch 8 to be movedover to'the posit-ion shown in Figure 1 unless already in that position.The engine will continue without stopping and will pass on to the railsection 25 whereupon the same action takes place, namely, current willpass from the rail-4, through thewheels and frame of the engine to'therail-25".

The current passing to jthe rail 25. will pass through wire 23, wire 21,as shown in Figure 5, the windings of the solenoid 11,

and wire 19 to rail '16 which'fis part ofthe power rail 5. This willcause the solenoid 11 to move the switch 7 to the position shown inFigures and 5 unless already in this position. .While, this is takingplace, the engine or train is still movingand will pass switch 7 andfinally pass'the switch 35. a As the engine passes'switch 3.55 abutment39 will strike the vrod or arm 38'and actuate switch 35 so that itconnects wires'33 and 36; This connection does not result in turning onthe currentto any operatingparts, but sets the circuit so thatswitch 8may be swung t othe opposite position td that shown in Figure 1 when theengine passes the insulated railfsecftion However, before passing :this{section, theengine naturally-passes the rail section 25 anathapartfunction as described in. regard to sections25 and25" so that currentwill pas'sfthrough wire 22, wire 20 as shown in Figure 5, the windingsof solenoid l0 and wire 18to rail 16, whereupon the switch plate113 andassociated. parts will be moved toward the right in Figure 5. The enginecontinues past the contact 24 and current/will pass asheretoforedescribed from track 4 through the wheelsjand body of the engine to railsection 25, wire 33, switch 35,

wire 3.6 and through the proper solenoid atf switch 8to move theswitch 8to the position shown in'Fi'gure'5, whereupon the engine striking thisswitchQS will pass again to point A and then over thesamepath asheretofore described. I After, the train passes the contact 24" a secondtime, current will be supplied towire 37 for shifting the switch 8 tothe position shown i'nFigure 1. As the engine passes, contact 24 thecurrent supplied will move switch 7 over to the position shown in Figureland the engine willfcon- ;tinue to pass switch As theengine passesswitch 35 the second time, it-will swing the arm 38 and will open theswitch so that the wires 33 and 36 are not electrically connected. Theengine passing the contact 24 willsupply current to wire 22 foractuating switch 7 so that it will move to the right, from the positionin Figure 1, so as to make the main line clear. As the engine passescontact 24 nothingoccurs as switch 35 is open and consequently theengine will pass switch 8 while it is still in the position shown inFigure 1 and will move around the portion B of the track 1 and will passswitch 7 and again strike the rod 38 for closing switch 35. This willeventually cause the switch 8 to be moved to the left from the positionin Figure 1 and switch 7 moved to the left or to the position shown inFigure 1, so that the train will pass around past point A on its thirdtrip, the trackage of point A presenting a siding or auxiliary trackage.As switch 35 is closed one time and opened another time the enginepasses, switches 7 and 8 will be automatically actuated so that theengine will make one complete trip around the main track and then a triparound the main track from switch 7 to switch 8 and through theauxiliary track past point A. The next trip will be around the maintrack and so on. This action is continued as long as the power is turnedon and switch 35 functions.

I claim:

1. An automatic switch system for toy railways including a maintrackage, an auxiliary trackage connected at certain points with themain trackage, a switch at the point of connection of the auxiliarytrackage with the main trackage, electrically operated means for openingand closing said switches, means for supplying current to saidelectrically operated means, said means including insulated tracksections over which the wheels of a train is adapted to pass and wiringconnecting said sections to the respective means for actuating theswitches and a train actuated switch for opening the circuit of one ofsaid means so that the switch operating means associated with one of theswitches will not function, thus causing the train to at one time passaround the main trackage and at another time to be switched on to theauxiliary trackage.

2. In an automatic switch system for a toy railroad, a main trackageover which an electrically operated toy train is adapted to move, saidtrackage having a pair of wheel tracks and a third rail for supplyingcurrent to the train, an auxiliary trackage connecting certain parts ofthe main trackage and electrically operated switch at the juncture ofsaid auxiliary trackage with the main trackage at each juncture, meansfor closing the circuit of said switches by said train so as to move theswitches back and forth so that the same will be opened and closed andan engine operated switch for opening one of said circuits whereby whenthe train is functioning, it will pass around said main trackage shuntcircuits including an insulated rail section and a train operated switchfor opening and closing the circuit of one of the electrically operatedmeans of one of said switches, whereby a train operating on saidtrackage will make one trip around the main trackage and then on thesecond trip will pass over the second'trackage.

4. In an automatic switching system for toy electric railways, a maintrackage, an auxiliary trackage, a switch connecting said auxiliarytrackage with the main trackage, electrically operated means for movingone switch to an open and closed position, a wire leading from saidelectrically operated means, an insulated rail track section connectedwith said wire, said track section being part of said auxiliarytrackage, conductors extending from said electrically operated means tosaid main trackage at one point, said main trackage at said one pointhaving an insulated wheel rail to which said conductors are electricallyconnected and a train operated switch interposed in said conductors foropening and closing the circuit thereof whereby when said switch isclosed, current will be supplied to close said switch as the trainpasses over the main line.

JOHN J. GEIGER.

